Kree Harrison was not crowned the “American Idol” on Thursday night, but the country singer says she’s thrilled her good friend, Candice Glover, now holds the title.

“I’m happy for her. I love her like a sister and I’m so freaking proud of her,” Kree told AccessHollywood.com’s Laura Saltman following the “Idol” finale on Thursday. “It’s a sisterhood further than friends forever could really understand because we’ve gone through this experience together. Not many people could understand it.”

While some contestants have said they instinctively knew they were about to get the axe prior to elimination, Kree said she truly didn’t have a feeling either way.

“I really had no idea, because we are two totally completely different artists, so I didn’t know,” she said. “But I’m so freaking proud of her. We both have so much drive, whatever would have happened I was just thinking in that moment that I’m so excited to do something, like, the next step.”

Both Candice and Kree are exhausted – having spent hours rehearsing and doing press for the show — but Kree said it’s small price to pay to get to live her dream.